Binder with improved modular backstrip design

ABSTRACT

A binder which can be opened on both sides, comprising a modular backstrip and two side parts, each side part being detachably connected to either side of the modular backstrip. Said side parts are detachable connected to each other with mounting posts and matching insertion holes. Said side parts detachably connected to the modular backstrip with insertion elements and matching recesses. Slide lock means are also provided.

Binders are used for the book-like presentation and storage of objectsor information mounted or contained on sheet-like data carriers. Thepresent invention relates to binders constructed according to themodular backstrip principle. Such binders are described in WO 92/15 461.

Not only has the modular backstrip design been considerably improved inthe present invention, but also new uses and applications have beencreated for this backstrip.

The principal feature of binders of the kind described in WO 92/15 461is that the binder is closed off at the rear by an additional modularbackstrip. In FIGS. 1 to 4 contained in WO 92/15 461, the actual modularbackstrip and also the mounting posts for the punched data carriers arepermanently attached to the side part. The opposite side part containsthe insertion elements which fit into the recesses on the modularbackstrip. On the side part are also located the insertion holes intowhich the heads of the mounting posts attached to side part engage.According to Claim 1 of WO 92/15 461, the insertion elements may bemounted optionally on side part or on side part.

Binders manufactured according to WO 92/15 461 already possess excellentsturdiness. At the point where the binder is opened, it is possible toread the two pages presented, as in a book, and also if necessary towrite on them without hindrance, because there are no upward-projectingrings, locking hoops or other locking mechanisms to get in the way.Furthermore, there is no risk of the user being injured by the sharpends of mounting posts of the kind used in particular in some types ofring binder mechanisms. Softer and thinner kinds of paper may be used asthe data carriers because, as a result of the larger diameter of themounting posts, there is much less risk of the paper tearing in the areaof the punched hole. Thinner papers not only make it easier to turn thepages, but also greatly increase the storage capacity of the binder.Therefore, the paper costs are also indirectly reduced. Without thebinder covers, the modular backstrip be adapted for storage in a hangingfile system. Furthermore, when they are not quite or only partiallyfull, modular backstrip binders of the type described in WO 92/15 461 donot require a separate clamping device to press the filed data carrierstogether. This is true, in particular, in the case of modular backstripbinders having four mounting posts arranged at spacings corresponding,for example, to the standard spacings used in four-ring binders. Inmodular backstrip binders which are not quite full, the informationcontent is in fact better accessible than when the storage capacity isfully utilized. The rings of different thickness and curvature found, inparticular, in ring binders, are dispensed with. This is particularlyadvantageous when the binders are stored in filing cabinets, etc. Inaddition, for binders of all widths, a standard hole diameter can beselected for the data carriers if the diameter of the mounting postsremains the same for backstrips of all widths. The actual, inside widthof the binder can be used to its fullest extent for storage purposesbecause the tips of the mounting posts project into the insertion holesin the side part. The mounting posts are therefore always slightlylonger than the actually available usable space. This thereforeeliminates the often considerable amount of "dead space" caused by themechanisms between the covers of the binder and the mounting mechanisms,or between the covers and the actual usable space allowed by the variousindividual mechanisms.

Despite the advantages listed above, there are still some weak points inthe design of the modular backstrip binders of the type described in WO92/15 461:

1. Like quick-release files, binders of the kind described in WO 92/15461 can only be opened on one side, because the modular backstrip 2 isfirmly attached either to side part or to side part. In the drawings to,it is in all cases side part to which the modular backstrip is attached.Therefore, new sheets can be added or removed only at the respectiveopposite side, by passing them over the free, upward-projecting ends ofthe mounting posts. This means that the modular backstrip binder can beopened either only at the front or at the back, depending on the sidepart to which the modular backstrip is attached. If the modularbackstrip is attached to side part, this determines that material can befiled only in a particular sequence because the backstrip binder can beopened only at the front. If, however the modular backstrip is attachedto side part, the modular backstrip binder can be opened only at theback. This permits material to be added only from the rear, in abook-like chronological sequence, which is desirable, for example, whenfiling newspapers. Therefore, as already mentioned, in the embodimentaccording to WO 92/15 461, no provision is made for the binder to beopened optionally at the front or at the back.

2. Another problem still exists with the binder design according to WO92/15 461 in contrast to ring binders or binders with lever mechanisms:It is not possible to remove or add data carriers (pages) at any desiredpoint in the filed stack. In order to do this, it is first necessary, asis the case with quick-release files, to lift all the overlying "pages"off the mounting posts. This creates the risk that the part of the stackno longer securely held in place by the mounting posts might get out oforder. In addition, this operation takes a long time.

3. In the case of the binder configuration described in WO 92/15 461,two differently designed side parts must be produced because one sidepart is always permanently attached to the modular backstrip 2. Thisdesign is also necessary because only one side part is equipped withmounting posts, and the respective opposite side part is equipped onlywith the insertion holes which accept the heads of the mounting posts.This makes it more difficult and expensive to produce, assemble andstore the binders. Therefore, in the case of the design according to WO92/15 461, it is not possible to use a standard side part which fitseither at the "front" or at the "back" of the binder, thereby alsoreducing the production costs because it exists in only oneconfiguration. In addition, the actual modular backstrip cannot beselected in a simple manner, independently of the configuration of theside part because, for example, it may be desired that the backstripshould exhibit other variations of shape or colour.

The improved modular backstrip design eliminates the aforementioned,still existing disadvantages of the modular backstrip binderconfiguration according to WO 92/15 461.

The binder can be opened on both sides, and the modular backstrip can bedesigned more independently of the side part by designing the backstripas a separate, loose component which is not permanently joined to anyside part.

Even if the modular backstrip binder is designed with a narrow back, theside parts can still be of standard design by ensuring that theinsertion elements on the side parts are not symmetrically arranged butlaterally offset in relation to each other, and the opposite flanksections of the modular backstrip possess matching insertion recesses.As a result, the insertion elements are also laterally offset butarranged adjacent to each other in a modular backstrip of narrowconfiguration.

If more than two mounting posts are used per binder, it is in factpossible to remove or add suitably punched data carriers at any desiredpoint in an already existing stack of filed data carriers. This goal ofthe invention is attained by alternatingly arranging the mounting postsand the respective opposite insertion holes at the desired spacings onthe side parts. When the stack of data carriers is lifted off above thedesired point, the data carriers are held securely in the existing filedsequence by the mounting posts fitted at the upper lateral edge andpassing through the stack from above. This purpose is particularly wellserved by a variant with four mounting posts, corresponding to thefour-ring binder configuration, only two of which posts are permanentlyattached to one side part while the other two are attached to the otherside part. Only this variant of the design is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1is an exploded view of the device.

In the illustrative drawing, which consists solely of FIG. 1, thevariant referred to above is depicted as one of many possibleembodiments of the present invention and then described, to the extentthat this is necessary. The characteristics of the invention asdescribed in WO 92/15 461 are not discussed any further and it isassumed that they are known.

The reference numbers are assigned to the following features of thedesign: 1--strip-like side parts of completely identical design;2--loose modular backstrip which is not permanently attached to eitherside part; 3--suitable recesses provided on the two opposing flanksections of the modular backstrip to receive the insertion elements 5projecting from the side parts; 4--the preferably rounded outer edge ofthe side parts; 6--a locking slide provided in the modular backstrip andconsisting of a sliding element 7 and engagement parts, not visiblehere, which engage in the matching recesses 8 on the insertion elements(for wide modular backstrips at least two locking slides 6 are required;in all cases, they run parallel to and at the same distance from bothflank sections of the modular backstrip 2 so that side parts 1 andinsertion elements 5 of standard design can be used in binders havingbacks of different width); 10--strong mounting posts of tubular or solidcross-section and insertion holes 9 which accept the ends of themounting posts, said holes being arranged alternatingly andasymmetrically on the side parts; 11--indicates a book-type binder coverdirectly joined via a hinge to the strip-shaped side parts.

In the embodiment shown here, with four mounting posts 10 per binder,both the opposite side parts 1 are completely identical in designbecause the side parts 1 can be used on either side. Thus, not only theinsertion elements 5 but also the mounting posts 10 and the insertionholes 9 are asymmetrically arranged on the side part 1. This means thateach side part 1 is provided with two equally asymmetrically arrangedmounting posts 10 and, alternating therewith, two likewiseasymmetrically arranged insertion holes 9 for the ends of the mountingposts 10 attached to the respective opposite side part.

In addition to the variant of the design depicted in the drawing, thereare many other embodiments, not shown here, of the features of theinvention referred to in Claims 1 to 3, relating in particular to thedesign of the locking slides 6 and the arrangement or the number ofmounting posts 10 and insertion holes 9.

I claim:
 1. A binder having a modular backstrip of improved design forthe presentation and storage of objects or information mounted orcontained on sheet-like data carriers, in which the back sectionconsists of an additional modular backstrip forming the actual back ofthe binder, and also of two opposed, strip-like side parts connectedwith the modular backstrip, and the said modular backstrip is providedwith one or more lock slides fitted with a sliding element and matchingrecesses for the insertion elements projecting from the two strip-likeside parts, and the said insertion elements are themselves provided withmatching recesses for the engaging elements fitted on the lock slides,and the said side parts also carry robust mounting posts of tubular orsolid cross-section as well as insertion holes into which the ends ofthe mounting posts are introduced, characterized in that the modularbackstrip is designed as a separate, loose component that is notpermanently attached to any side part.
 2. The binder having an improvedmodular backstrip according to claim 1, characterized in that theinsertion elements are not arranged symmetrically but are laterallyoffset on the side parts and the opposite flank sections of the modularbackstrip possess matching recesses.
 3. A binder having an improvedmodular backstrip according to claim 1, characterized in that themounting posts and the respective opposite insertion holes on the sideparts are alternatingly arranged at the desired spacings.